1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to simulated foods and to methods of making such foods; and more particularly to an oleaginous fibrous simulated food product having a supporting cohesive gel structure, and method of producing such food product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is an obvious and long-felt need in the United States and other developed nations of the world for foods which will satisfy a consumer's hunger but which have highly reduced caloric content and which have very low or no saturated fat and cholesterol. The high incidence of overweight among the populations of western countries is indicative of the overuse of high caloric content foods in these countries. Moreover, many of the ailments which afflict people living in the more advanced countries have been related by researchers to the "modern" diets consumed by the people in these countries. One well known example of a disease which has been related to diet is coronary arteriosclerosis, commonly considered to be partially due to the intake of excessive cholesterol and saturated fat. However, there has been growing evidence that modern diets which contain little or no dietary fiber may contribute to a variety of major and minor ailments, including constipation and colon cancer, and also possibly to a lesser extent, obesity, varicose veins, diverticulosis, and heart disease. See e.g., David Ruben, M.D., The Save-Your-Life Diet, Random House, New York, 1975. The natural indigestible fiber or roughage contained in natural foods consists primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignins, pectins, and small traces of other substances, with cellulose being the major constituent. Although these natural fibers are virtually indigestible, they are becoming generally recognized as an essential component of proper nutrition, with suggested daily dietary fiber requirements being in the range of 20-40 gms. or more.
Because of the great desirability of increasing the fiber content of foodstuffs, both to decrease caloric content and to obtain the beneficial properties of fiber, attempts have been made to add refined fibrous cellulose to food compositions. Since refined fibrous cellulose is similar in feel and appearance to flour, this type of cellulose has been used as a bulking agent in farinaceous foods such as breads, pastas and other flour based products. The percentage of the fibrous cellulose versus other food components which can be used in such farinaceous foods has been limited if a product having a desirable texture and body is to be obtained. Moreover, previous food products containing fibrous cellulose have been found somewhat objectionable because of the mouth feel of the cellulose particles.
Soluble cellulose derivatives such as cellulose ether and gums and cellulose crystallite aggregates have been added to food products and are widely used as stabilizers and texture enhancers for natural food materials. However, the use of these cellulose derivatives has been limited to only very small percentages in relation to the weight of the overall food product, in the range of 1 - 2% or less, and attempts to use such cellulose derivatives as bulking agents in substantial quantities have been generally unsuccessful because of the unpalatability of the resulting product.
It is apparent that the primary requisite of a fiber enhanced natural or simulated food is palatability to the consumer, with the simulated food preferably being as close as possible in taste and texture to a common natural food.